After thoroughly tasting all three samples I really enjoyed the malaysian dry stored brick. Loved the woodiness in it combined with some of that young sheng bite and long staying power.

Didn't really care for the 8582, it was simply too "damp basement"-y for me and really spicy.

The Bulang was really good and enjoyable but the wet storing was a bit overpowering in the first few infusions.

If I was offered one of those three cakes I'd definitely jump on the dry stored brick.

I'm very grateful to everyone that contributed to this OTTI, it gave me a huge insight into what old(ish) pu-er tastes like and I can now appreciate my shu cakes and know what they're trying to emulate.

Here's hoping the next OTTI would also be a huge learning experience that made me enjoy my tea in so many more new ways.

#1 a couple days agohum...I can see the appeal but this one is not for me, the musty/dampness flavour kind of puts me off. I still drank around 8-9 infusions until it was pretty much spent, did not attempt to brew for a day or two, longest infusion was around 4 hrs?

It seems like dry is the way I will go, but I will air out the #2 for a few days (or until I deem the wet smell is toned down enough) to see if the wet can be toned down/eliminated

So I was wondering...can you air out a wet until it tastes like a dry, or is it more or less a permanent taste that will not go away?

What the heck is going on...reading the past posts it seems like the musty/damp taste dissipated on #1 after a few infusions for most ppl. It stuck with me until the very end, poking and distracting me from everything else going on with this tea

churng wrote:#1 a couple days agohum...I can see the appeal but this one is not for me, the musty/dampness flavour kind of puts me off. I still drank around 8-9 infusions until it was pretty much spent, did not attempt to brew for a day or two, longest infusion was around 4 hrs? [...]So I was wondering...can you air out a wet until it tastes like a dry, or is it more or less a permanent taste that will not go away?

It will not "taste like a dry", but a lot of the storage taste will go away - the tea will be darker and smoother than a comparable so-called "dry-stored" tea from the same time period.

You can break up the cake, brush off some of the visible mold, and put it in a cookie tin or earthenware jar, which will help. Airing it for a few weeks in the open air before brewing may also help some (this is a good idea with any puer if you have the time / foresight).

Just FWIW, I don't consider the 8582 to be a "ready to drink" tea... think of it as a stop on the way rather than as the end result.

ok thanks I will put #2 in an unused teapot with the lid off for awhile and check on it every day or two.

wyardley wrote:ust FWIW, I don't consider the 8582 to be a "ready to drink" tea... think of it as a stop on the way rather than as the end result.

good to know thanksDo you have the same sample from the otti? I imagine that 2 cakes of 8582 from same year may age at different speeds. So are you saying that most 8582 of that year is not ready yet, or that just the sample I have? I am assuming you mean most since wet is suppose to age faster then dry yeah

churng wrote:ok thanks I will put #2 in an unused teapot with the lid off for awhile and check on it every day or two.

wyardley wrote:ust FWIW, I don't consider the 8582 to be a "ready to drink" tea... think of it as a stop on the way rather than as the end result.

good to know thanksDo you have the same sample from the otti? I imagine that 2 cakes of 8582 from same year may age at different speeds. So are you saying that most 8582 of that year is not ready yet, or that just the sample I have? I am assuming you mean most since wet is suppose to age faster then dry yeah

Menghai 8582 before 2000(not the dayi wrapper), needs at least 15 years before going to the first mature stage, and there are 3 stages all together.

broke into the 8582 after letting it sit for a while. Delicious. 200 ml ish porcelain, about 3.3 grams. Broke the leaf up quite a bit 2/3 loose leaf, and 1/3 big chunk. 4 very satisfying infusions. Pretty short infusion on first, even shorter on second, longer on third, and much longer on 4th. Out of the 3 I would say this one appeals to me the most from the limited experience I have had with them (and puerh). There is what I gather to be 'wet storage taste' but not overpowering this time, just right enough to add to the complexity but not distract from other things. Balanced seems a good word to describe this one.I will reserve the other 5.3 grams for small pot brewing.

Thanks again guys for making this happen.

Btw, anyone find a cake and brick similar to malay brick and this 8582? I have tried houde's 8582 already but so far my preference is for this one.

very interesting experience comparing houde's 98 dry to this wetter 97 8582. Startling differences. From the wet leaf, to the taste, liquor color, feel. Liquor is darker, and I get the feeling of shou even though I have never tried it!